‘I just miss hearing him in the other room playing the guitar and singing’
SALLY HARDING
The devastated wife of a Navan man who tragically passed away from cancer aged just 47 has paid tribute to her husband.
Wayne Gilroy, a talented local musician was diagnosed with bowel cancer in January 2018, news that came as a huge shock due to the fact that the father of three was an avid gym goer and had a passion for sport.
Married for 18 years and both from Dublin the couple were introduced via their aunts who were friends in Flower Hill Lodge 25 years ago.
They made Navan their home with Sharon setting up a play school from their house in Abbeygrove and went on to have three daughters Lauren (18), Brooke (14) and Michaela (12).
Speaking on her husband’s illness, Sharon said:
“Wayne was diagnosed on 9th January 2018. He was always in the gym and very fit and played badminton so it was a real shock.
“After scans the doctors told us that it was in the bowel gone through to the liver and there was not much they could do.
“But he went on to fight, he attended the Mater and he had an operation on the bowel to remove the tumour and two lots of liver operations and came through chemo and they said that they had got it.
“He was doing well but then it came back.
“We stayed by his side for his last couple of days at home and I played his music to him.”
Sharon shares her memories of “family man” Wayne.
“Once the girls were alright he was happy. He had a camcorder and all through the years he would make videos with the girls and do little funny sketches and record them singing songs so we have lots of DVDS of all of those memories.
“He loved badminton and was a member of the badminton club in Simonstown and was very involved in the community in Navan.
“I just miss hearing him in the other room playing the guitar and singing.
“The palliative care team particularly a nurse called Ciaran, The Mater Hospital, St Francis Hospice, cancer care nurses, public health nurses, neighbors, friends and family were so good to us during this awful time.”